[Steven Rademacher]

Usually this happens when either (or both) the inertia block spring or inertia lever spring break.

Although I hate to be the bearer of unpleasant news, the kerosene is going to dry out, leaving a sticky residue which usually causes small parts to bind. I've seen this before. Honestly, at this point you are best off having a professional full service done on the gun to include springs.

 

[Steven Rademacher]

Do you have their contact information?

@PhCr = Phillip

 

[Steven Rademacher]

Steven, The booklet that came with my Beretta 687 EELL 20 gauge hunting gun recommends "A(sic) the end of each hunting season, it is advisable to remove the stock and forearm wood in order to clean the mechanism thoroughly by washing it out in kerosene." I've never done it in all the years I've owned that gun as it just didn't seem right to me. Can you expand upon the use of kerosene as a cleaner for firearms?

Like I said, kerosene dries out and leaves a sticky residue that binds up moving parts. A local customer of mine had an O/U with some minor issue, so he went and dunked it in kerosene. He stored the gun for about a year, and then brought it to me because the top lever wouldn't close. I tore it apart and cleaned out all the evaporated kerosene....and viola, it worked.

So yeah, this is why I strongly recommend that all petroleum-based grease and oil be kept away from guns. There is simply no reason when you have synthetic lubes that never dry out.

Apart from that, flooding the receiver with anything is a bad idea for several reasons, not least of which is removal of grease from areas which cannot be re-lubed without full disassembly.